SLIDING WOUNDS

It was a children’s park with swings , merry go round and slides.Most were accompanied by adults. Occasionally older children came in pairs or fours . Few got scared of the height of a slide and after climbing the stairs that led to the slide , chickened out crying. I used to promise to catch them and made some of them muster the courage to slide down. Once there were two girls , one of them would not slide . I thought she was scared and promised to catch her if she fell. Her friend stopped me “She is hurt , let go” Nothing was visible. “Her mother made her sit on a hot pan as she was naughty,her back side is burnt” said the friend.The child smiled at me, “I am not at all scared , that is why my mom burnt me to teach a lesson”I asked ” What were you not scared of ?” She laughed again “Nothing scares me , beating, shouting , pinching, spanking…….nothing. Even now , I am not scared, but because my mother does not want to take me to the doctor .She said I should take care of my wounds”